Five years ago Elda Armstrong dreaded making a drive out to Ness Lake Bible Camp, but Wednesday she was more than happy to return to jump into the frigid water.
Armstrong's husband Dan died in late December five years ago while her son was attending a new year's camp.
"That was probably the hardest thing I did," she said of breaking the news to her teenage son. "My son had been very happy and was very excited the day before to go out to camp so to come out and tell him was very hard and it was right in this building."
Dan Armstrong had suffered a sudden heart attack and died at the age of 49. Although Elda Armstrong didn't want her son's name used in the story to protect his privacy, she said his experiences at Ness Lake both before and after his father died played a key role in his development.
"It has just been an excellent factor in my son's life," she said. "He's done leadership training, work crew, he's be camp crew and he's done video production."
In order to give back to the camp that has meant so much, Armstrong decided to take the plunge this year and participate in the annual New Year's Day polar bear dip. Before she entered the water she said she wasn't quite sure what to expect.
"I haven't really thought about that part," she said. "But I like cinnamon buns, so I'll look forward to that [after the dip], but the cold water part I'll just leave out of my mind until it's over, until I'm actually in there."
This year's polar bear dip featured around 70 participants and raised over $7,000 - more than double last year's total - to help send children to camp who otherwise couldn't afford to go.
Armstrong was the third highest fundraiser this year, bringing in $1,150. Brian Joyce was the top fundraiser for the second year in a row. The pastor at Central Fellowship Baptist Church raised $2,085, five dollars more than runner-up Dan Hoffman of Fort George Baptist Church.
Organizers had to deal with difficult ice conditions, including multiple layers of ice and slush thanks to the repeated freeze-thaw cycles we've had this winter. In order to make things safe for participants and observers they built a "snow bridge" to and from the hole in the ice.
One of the organizers, Dave Horton, invited his brother Matt to make his official polar bear plunge this year. Matt had taken part once in the past, but it was before the event became an official fundraiser 13 years ago.
"Back then it was cold as well but there weren't nearly as many people so you could chicken out and not be made fun of, but today I don't think I can get away with that," he said with a smile.
Horton did indeed make the leap and confirmed as he hastily made his way back to the warm-up room that it was just as cold as he remembered.
As is the tradition, a group of students on a Rotary exchange all took the plunge. Lucas Busser from Switzerland said swimming in near freezing water is something done occasionally in his home country - but cutting a hole in the ice is unheard of.
"We're doing this for fun and to have a one-time experience in our life," he said.
Laticia Ermilio from Argentina and Mathilee Paree of Belgium agreed that jumping into the frigid water was something uniquely Canadian.
"I know it will be super cold, but I think I will like it," Ermilio said.
